Fuel control device and system utilizing the same

ABSTRACT

A fuel control device wherein the manual selector is axially movable relative to a valve housing to unlock the selector therefrom and is movable in a rotational direction relative to the housing to drive a fuel control valve member between its operating positions. In order to prevent wobble of the selector as the same is being moved relative to the valve member and/or relative to the housing, the selector and the housing each respectively has a pair of axially spaced guides cooperating respectively with the pair of guides on the other member so that in all positions of the selector, the two axially spaced guides of the selector are cooperating with the axially spaced guides of the housing.

Oct. 9, 1973 FUEL CONTROL DEVICE AND SYSTEM UTILIZING THE SAME Harvey J.Shopsky, Latrobe, Pa.

[75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company,

Richmond, Va.

[22] Filed: Oct. 31, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 302,390

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 129,701, March 3,1971, Pat.

-[52] US. Cl. 251/96 [51] Int. Cl. Fl6k 35/00 [58] Field of Search251/96, 148

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,953,776 4/1934 Roberts251/96 2,194,714 3/1940 Mueller 251/96 2,634,949 4/1953 Robinson 251/96Primary Examiner-Henry T. Klinksiek Attorney-James Candor [57] ABSTRACTA fuel control device wherein the manual selector is axially movablerelative to a valve housing to unlock the selector therefrom and ismovable in a rotational direction relative to the housing to drive afuel control valve member between its operating positions. In order toprevent wobble of the selector as the same is being moved relative tothe valve member and/or relative to the housing, the selector and thehousing each respectively has a pair of axially spaced guidescooperating respectively with the pair of guides on the other member sothat in all positions of the selector, the two axially spaced guides ofthe selector are cooperating with the axially spaced guides of thehousing.

7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures Palen ted Oct; 9, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet lPatented Get. 9, 1973 3,764,102

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FUEL CONTROL DEVICE AND SYSTEM UTILIZING THE SAME Thisis a division of U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 129,701, filed March 3,1971, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,712,580.

This invention relates to an improved fuel control device as well as toan improved fuel control system utilizing such a fuel control device.

It is well known that various fuel control devices have been provided inthe past wherein the manually operable selector means for the fuelcontrol device that is adapted to drive the fuel'control valve of thedevice between its various operating positions is adapted to be lockedin an off position thereof so that in order to move the selector meansfrom its off" position to any on operating position thereof, theoperator must axially move the selector means relative to the controldevice to unlock the selector means before such selector means can bemoved in the operating direction thereof for moving the valve memberbetween its various operating positions. Such operating movement of theselector means is normally a rotational movement thereof whereas theunlocking movement of the selector means is normally an axial movementtransverse to such rotational movement and more particularly is an axialpushing-in movement on the selector means.

It has been found according to the teachings of this invention, thatsuch prior known fuel control devices have excess wobble between theselector means thereof and the housing means carrying such selectormeans during the movement of the selector means relative to the valvemember and/or relative to the housing means containing such valvemember.

Accordingly, it is a feature of this invention to'provide guide meansfor such a fuel control device which will substantially eliminate theaforementioned wobble between the selector means and the housing meansduring movement of the selector means.

In particular, one embodiment of this invention comprises afuel controldevice having a housing provided with an inlet and an outlet separatedfrom each other by a valve seat surface of the housing. A movable valvemember is carried by the housing and cooperates with the valve seatsurface so that in one position of the valve member relative to thehousing, the inlet is interconnected to the outlet and in the otherposition of the valve member relative to the housing, the inlet isdisconnected from the outlet. A movable selector iscarried by thehousing and has a part thereof operatively interconnected to the valvemember for moving the valve member between the operating positionsthereof as the selector is being moved in unison therewith between anoff position thereof and an on position thereof. The selector and thehousing respectively have lock means that cooperate together to lock theselector in its off position thereof when the valve member is in its offposition. The selector is axially movable relative to the valve memberto lock and unlock the lock means. The housing and the selector eachrespectively have a pair of axially spaced guide means cooperatingrespectively with the pair of guide means on the other member to preventwobble of the selector as the same is being moved relative to the valvemember and relative to the housing. By having such guide means axiallyspaced along the selector, the selector is positively held in twoaxially spaced locations thereof during any movement of the selector sothat adverse wobble cannot take place between the selector and thehousing.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedfuel control device having one or more of the novel features set forthabove or hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved fuel controlsystem utilizing such a fuel contro device.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from areading of this description which proceeds with reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved fuel control device of thisinvention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1and schematically illustrates the fuel control system utilizing the fuelcontrol device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG.2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG.2.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 2 and illustrates theselector means in its unlocked position relative to the housing of thefuel control device.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 3 and illustrates the selector meansbeing moved between its various on operating positions.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 and illustrates the selector meansdisposed in its fully on" position.

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the various parts of the fuelcontrol device of FIG. 1.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter describedand illustrated as being particularly adapted to provide a fuel controldevice for a cooking apparatus or the like, it is to be understood thatthe various features of this invention can be utilized singly or in anycombination thereof to provide a fuel control device for other apparatusas desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodimentillustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized toillustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the improved fuel control device of thisinvention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 andcomprises a housing means 11 having a mounting portion 12 provided withopening means 13 therethrough for mounting the control device 10 to adesired supporting structure, such as the frame structure of a cookingapparatus, so that an inlet 14, FIG. 2, of the housing means 11 can beinterconnected by a suitable conduit means or manifold 15 to a source offuel 16 and an outlet 17 of the housing means 11 can be interconnectedby suitable conduit means 18 to a fuel burner 19 for the cookingapparatus whereby the fuel control device 10 is adapted to be coupledinto the fuel control system of this invention that is generallyindicated by the reference numeral 20 in FIG. 2.

The housing means 11 of the fuel control device 10 includes an internal,frusto-conical valve seat surface 21 interrupted by the inlet 14 andhaving its smaller end or base 22 coaxially aligned with a passage means23 that leads to the outlet 17.

A frusto-conical plug valve member 24 is disposed through an open end 25of a housing part 26 of the housing means 17 that defines thefrusto-conical valve seat surface 21 and has an outer peripheral surface27 mating with the internal frusto-conical valve seat surface 21 of thehousing part 26 so as to be disposed in sliding, rotational and sealingrelation therewith in a manner well known in the art. The plug valvemember 24 has a passage means 28 interrupting the frustoconicalperipheral surface 27 thereof for mating with the inlet 14 when alignedtherewith, the passage means also interrupting the smaller end or base29 of the plug valve member 24 so as to be in aligned relation with thepassage 23 of the housing means 11 in all rotational positions of theplug valve member 24 relative to the housing means 11.

The open end 25 of the housing part 26 is provided I with an annularcylindrical interior surface 30 defining a guide means or surface of thehousing means 11 as will be apparent hereinafter.

A drive disc 31 is fastened to one end 32 of a control shaft 33 havingits other end 34 adapted to be interconnected to a suitable control knobor the like, such control knob or the like being illustrated in phantomlines in FIG. 2 and being generally designated by the reference numeral35. The knob 35, the control shaft 33 and the drive disc 31 of thecontrol device comprise a selector means therefor that is generallyindicated by the reference numeral 36 and is adapted to be movablerelative to the housing means 11 as well as movable relative to thevalve member 24 in a manner hereinafter described.

The drive disc 31 of the selector means 36 has a plurality of outerarcuate peripheral lugs or guides 37 dis posed in sliding and engagingrelation with the annular guide surface 30 of the housing means 11 inall rotational and axial positions of the selector means 36 relative tothe housing means 11 whereby the peripheral surfaces 37 of the drivedisc 31 and the cooperating annular surface 30 of the housing means 11define one pair of cooperating guide means of the selector means 36 andthe housing means 11 to be utilized in a manner hereinafter described toprevent adverse wobble of the selector means 36 relative to the housingmeans 11 of the control device 10.

The drive plate 31 of the selector means 36 has an outwardly directedtang 38 carved or stamped there from that is adapted to be received in arecess or slot 39 formed in an end 40 of the plug valve member 24 so asto spline the drive disc 31 thereto. In this manner, rotational movementof the disc 31 relative to the housing means 11 causes like rotationalmovement of the valve member 24 relative to the housing means. However,the spline connection between the drive disc 31 and the plug valvemember 24 permits the drive disc 31 to be axially movable relative tothe valve member 24 between the positions illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 5.

In order to maintain the frusto-conical peripheral surface 27 of theplug valve member 24 in sealing engagement with the frusto-conicalinternal surface 21 of the housing part 26 at all times, a compressionspring 41 is disposed in the housing means 11 and has one end 42 bearingagainst the plug valve member 24 and the other end 43 thereof bearingagainst the drive disc 31 to tend to maintain the drive disc 31 in itsaxially out position as illustrated in FIG. 2 wherein the outerperipheral parts 37 of the drive disc 31 abut against a cupshaped casingmember 44 secured to the open end 25 of the housing part 26 by suitablefastening means 45 passing through ear means 46 of the casing or covermember 44. Thus, regardless of the axial position of the drive disc 31relative to the housing means 11, the force of the spring 41 is to driveand maintain the plug valve member 24 to the right in FIG. 2 and, thus,into sealing engagement with the valve seat surface 21 of the housingmeans 11.

The cup-shaped casing 44 of the housing means has an opening 47 passingthrough the closed end 48 thereof with the opening 47 defining acircular internal peripheral surface 49 of the end wall 48 of the casing44 that is coaxially aligned with the plug valve member 24. However, anarcuate section 50 of the end wall 48 of the casing 44 adjacent thearcuate internal surface 49 of the opening 47 is deformed at the opposedends 51 and 52 thereof so as to define inwardly directed stop end wallmeans 53 and 54 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The end wall 48 of the casing 44 is also interrupted by a pair of slotsor notches 55 and 56 disposed diam etrically opposite each other andintersecting with the opening 47 as illustrated, the notches 55 and 56defining locking means of the housing means 11 for a purpose hereinafterdescribed.

The control shaft 33 of the selector means 36 is substantially C-shapedin cross section to define an arcuate outer peripheral surface 57 thatis adapted ,to be disposed in sliding engagement as well as inrotational engagement with the circular internal peripheral surface 49of the end wall 48 of the casing 44 as illustrated so as to be guided inits movement by such surface 49 not only in a rotational direction, butalso in an axial direction.

In this manner, it can be seen that the shaft 33 of the selector means36 has its guide means 57 being guided by the guide surface 49 of thecasing 44 with such pair of cooperating guide means being axially alongthe selector means 36 from the pair of guide means defined by theperipheral means 37 of the drive disc 31 and the annular surface of thehousing part 26.

The C-shaped shaft 33 of the selector means 36 has a pair of outwardlydirected lock tangs 58 and 59 carved therefrom and being substantiallydiametrically located on the shaft 33 so as to be respectively alignableand axially movable in the lock notches 55 and 56 of the end wall 48 ofthe casing 44. Thus, when the tangs 58 and 59 of the C-shaped shaft 33of the selector means 36 are respectively aligned with the notches 55and 56 of the end wall 48 of the casing 44, the force of the compressionspring 41 moves the selector means 36 to the left in FIG. 2 whereby thelock tangs 58 and 59 are respectively located within the lock notches 55and 56 when the drive disc 31 abuts against the casing 44 as illustratedin FIG. 2 to limit further leftward movement of the selector means 36under the force of the spring 41. Thus, rotational movement of theselector means 36 in the position of FIG. 2 is prevented by the locktangs 58 and 59 in the lock notches 55 and 56.

However, when the shaft 33 of the selector means 36 is moved axially tothe right in FIG. 2 to the position illustrated in F IG. 5 by theoperator axially pushing-in on the selector means 16, the lock tangs 58and 59 of the shaft 33 respectively clear the lock notches 55 and 56 ofthe end wall 48 of the casing 44 to permit the same to be rotatedrelative to the casing 44 because the lock tangs 58 and 59 are nowdisposed to the right of the inside surface 60 of the end wall means 48of the casing 44 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 5. However, the locktang 58 of the shaft 33 is then aligned in abutting relation with thestop surface 53 of the inwardly bent tang S1 of the casing 44 to preventrotation of the shaft 33 in a clockwise direction in FIG. 1 so that theshaft 33 must be rotated in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 1 tocause passage means 28 thereof to become alignable with the inlet 14 ofthe housing part 26. The passage 28 in full alignment with the inletpassage 14 of the housing part 36' when the shaft 33 has been rotated ina counterclockwise direction substantially 90 in the manner illustratedin FIG. 6 to the position illustrated in FIG. 7 where the stop tang 9 ofthe shaft 33 now abuts against the stop surface 54 of the inwardly benttang 52 of the end wall 48 of the casing 44 to limit suchcounterclockwise movement of the shaft 33 relative to the housing means11.

Because the lock tangs 58 and 59 of the shaft 33 are now disposed on theside 60 of the casing 44, such tangs 58 and 59 can ride against thesurface 60 in all operating positions of the shaft 33 except when theshaft 33 has been turned to the off position as illustrated in FIGS. 2and 3 where the force of the compression spring 41 is adapted to drivethe lock tangs 58 and 59 as well as the shaft 33 to the left to lockthesame in its off position as previously described.

However, it can be seen that when the shaft 33 is axially moved relativeto the housing means 11 to unlock the shaft 33 from the lock notches 55and 56 of the easing 44, the peripheral surface 57 of the shaft 33 isstill in engagement with the peripheral surface 49 of the end wall 48 ofthe casing 44 and the peripheral surfaces 37 of the drive disc 31axially spaced therefrom are in sliding engagement with the annularsurface 30 of the housing part 26 so that two pairs of axially spacedcooperating guide means between the selector means 36 and the housingmeans 11 maintain the selector means 36 in positive relationshiprelative to the housing means 11 so that no adverse wobbling of theselector-means takes place during the unlocking of the control shaft 33from the casing 44. Further, during rotational movement of the unlockedcontrol shaft 33 of the selector means 36, the cooperating pairs ofaxially spaced guide means previously described remain in cooperatingcontact with each other so that the selector means 36 is also preventedfrom adverse wobbling during rotational movement thereof. I

The control shaft 33 has another pair of tangs 58 and 59 formed thereonin spaced relation to the tangs '58 and 59 and are utilized to limit andlock the control knob 35 on he control shaft 33.

The operation of the control device as utilized in a fuel control systemwill now be described.

Assuming that the selector means 36 is in its locked of positionillustrated in FIG. 2, it can be seen that the plug valve 24 completelyseals off the inlet 14 at the valve surface 21 of the housing part 26with its peripheral surface 27 so that no fuel from the source 16 canflow to the burner means 19 through the control device 10.

When the operator desires to connect the fuel source 16 to the burnermeans 19, the operator first must push axially inwardly on the controlshaft 33 toward the housing means 11 to cause the lock tangs 58 and 59to clear out of the lock slots 55 and 56 in the end wall 48 of thecasing 44 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 5 in that the control shaft33 can now be rotated in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 1 to thefully on position illustrated in-FIG. 7 or in any partially on positionas illustrated in FIG. 6 to vary the interconnection of the inlet 14with the passage 28 leading to the outlet 17. Of course, when the shaft33 is rotated a full in a counterclockwise direction, the tang 59 nowabuts against the end surface 54 of the tang 52 of the casing 44 tolocate the plug valve 24 in its fully on position for interconnectingthe fuel source 16 to the burner means 19.

When the operator desires to disconnect the fuel source 16 from theburner means 19, the operator merely rotates the shaft 33 of theselector means 36 in a clockwise direction until the tang 58 abutsagainst the surface 53 of the tang 51 of the casing 44 as illustrated inFIG.. 5 and the force of the compression spring 41 will then force theshaft 33 to the left to the Position illustrated in FIG. 2 where thelock tangs 58 and 59 arenow received in the lock notches 55 and 56 toprevent normal rotational movement of the control shaft 33 relative tothe housing means 11 until the same is again axially moved relative tothe housing means 11 to unlock the same.

Therefore, it can be seen that during such movement of the selectormeans 36 relative to the housing means 11, the two pairs of cooperatingguide means respectively defined by the surfaces 57, 49 and 37, 30prevent the selector means 36 from wobbling relative to the housingmeans 11 during the axial unlocking of the selector means 36 relativethereto as well as during rotational movement of the selector means 36relative thereto.

Therefore, it can be seen that this invention not only provides animproved fuel control device 10 having manynovel and unobvious featuresas set forth above, but also this invention provides an improved fuelcontrol system utilizing such a control device.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed anddescribed as required by the statutes, other forms may be utilized allcoming within the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fuel control system having a source of fuel and a burner means,the improvement comprising a fuel control device provided with a housingmeans having an inlet-and an outlet separated from each other by a valveseat surface means of said housing means, a movable valve member carriedby said housing means and cooperating with said valve seat surface meansso that in one position of said valve member relative to said housingmeans said inlet is interconnected to said outlet and in other positionof said valve member relative to said housing means said inlet isdisconnected from said outlet, and a movable selector means carried bysaid housing means and having interconnection means operativelyinterconnected to said valve member for moving said valve member betweensaid positions thereof as said selector means is being moved insubstantial unison therewith between an off position thereof and an onposition thereof, said selector means and said housing meansrespectively having lock means that cooperate together to lock saidselector means in said "off" position thereof when said valve member isin said other position thereof, said selector means being axiallymovable relative to said valve member to lock and unlock said lockmeans, said housing means and said selector means each respectivelyhaving a pair of axially spaced guide means cooperating respectivelywith the other pair of guide means to prevent wobble of said selectormeans as the same is being moved relative to said valve member andrelative to said housing means, one pair of cooperating guide means ofsaid housing means and said selector means comprising a casing member ofsaid housing means having a guide slot passing therethrough andreceiving said cooperating guide means of said selector means, saidguide means of said selector means that cooperates with said guide slotcomprising a control shaft passing through said slot, said lock means ofsaid housing means comprising notch means passing through said casingmember with such notch means intersecting with said slot, said lockmeans of said selector means comprising two tang means carved from saidshaft and being receivable in said notch means to lock said selectormeans in said off position thereof, said casing member having a pair ofstops carbed therefrom and respectively being engageable with said tangsto limit rotational movement of said shaft relative to said housingmeans.

2. In a fuel control system as set forth in claim 1, the furtherimprovement wherein said valve member comprises a rotatable valvemember.

3. In a fuel control system as set forth in claim 2, the furtherimprovement wherein said rotatable valve member comprises a plug valvemember.

4. In a fuel control system as set forth in claim 3, the furtherimprovement wherein said interconnection means includes a compressionspring acting against said plug valve member to tend to maintain thesame in sealing relation against said valve seat surface means eventhough said selector means is being moved between its locked andunlocked positions.

5. In a fuel control system as set forth in claim 4, the furtherimprovement wherein said plug valve member has a substantiallyfrusto-conical configuration and said valve seat surface means ofhousing means is complementary thereto.

6. In a fuel control system as set forth in claim 4, the furtherimprovement wherein said compression spring also acts against saidselector means to tend to move the same relative to said valve memberand toward its locked position.

7. In a fuel control system as set forth in claim 1, the furtherimprovement wherein the other pair of cooperating guide means comprisesa disc member carried by said selector means and having an outerperiphery engaging an annular guide surface of said housing meanswhereby said outer periphery remains in guiding engagement with saidannular surface during movement of said selector means relative to saidvalve member and relative to said housing means.

III I I? II

1. In a fuel control system having a source of fuel and a burner means,the improvement comprising a fuel control device provided with a housingmeans having an inlet and an outlet separated from each other by a valveseat surface means of said housing means, a movable valve member carriedby said housing means and cooperating with said valve seat surface meansso that in one position of said valve member relative to said housingmeans said inlet is interconnected to said outlet and in other positionof said valve member relative to said housing means said inlet isdisconnected from said outlet, and a movable selector means carried bysaid housing means and having interconnection means operativelyinterconnected to said valve member for moving said valve member betweensaid positions thereof as said selector means is being moved insubstantial unison therewith between an ''''off'''' position thereof andan ''''on'''' position thereof, said selector means and said housingmeans respectively having lock means that cooperate together to locksaid selector means in said ''''off'''' position thereof when said valvemember is in said other position thereof, said selector means beingaxially movable relative to said valve member to lock and unlock saidlock means, said housing means and said selector means each respectivelyhaving a pair of axially spaced guide means cooperating respectivelywith the other pair of guide means to prevent wobble of said selectormeans as the same is being moved relative to said valve member andrelative to said housing means, one pair of cooperating guide means ofsaid housing means and said selector means comprising a casing member ofsaid housing means having a guide slot passing therethrough andreceiving said cooperating guide means of said selector means, saidguide means of said selector means that cooperates with said guide slotcomprising a control shaft passing through said slot, said lock means ofsaid housing means comprising notch means passing through said casingmember with such notch means intersecting with said slot, said lockmeans of said selector means comprising two tang means carved from saidshaft and being receivable in said notch means to lock said selectormeans in said ''''off'''' position thereof, said casing member having apair of stops carved therefrom and respectively being engageable withsaid tangs to limit rotational movement of said shaft relative to saidhousing means.
 2. In a fuel control system as set forth in claim 1, thefurther improvement wherein said valve member comprises a rotatablevalve member.
 3. In a fuel control system as set forth in claim 2, thefurther improvement wherein said rotatable valve member comprises a plugvalve member.
 4. In a fuel control system as set forth in claim 3, thefurther improvement wherein said interconnection means includes acompression spring acting against said plug valve member to tend tomaintain the same in sealing relation against said valve seat surfacemeans even though said selector means is being moved between its lockedand unlocked positions.
 5. In a fuel control system as set forth inclaim 4, the further improvement wherein said plug valve member has asubstantially frusto-conical configuration and said valve seat surfacemeans of housing means is complementary thereto.
 6. In a fuel controlsystem as set forth in claim 4, the further improvement wherein saidcompression spring also acts against said selector means to tend to movethe same relative to said valve member and toward its locked position.7. In a fuel control system as set forth in claim 1, the furtherimprovement wherein the other pair of cooperating guide means comprisesa disc member carried by said selector means and having an outerperiphery engaging an annular guide surface of said housing meanswhereby said outer periphery remains in guiding engagement with saidannular surface during movement of said selector means relative to saidvalve member and relative to said housing means.